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RAF Installation (Aird Uig)
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the former Royal Air Force installation at Aird Uig, Isle of Lewis, was disposed of and to whom ; and what was the price paid.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The NATO communications installation at Aird Uig, which is operated by the RAF, remains in use. Only the adjoining domestic accommodation area amounting to some 12 acres was sold to a private individual in March 1973, but it is known that the site has been resold several times since then. It is not our practice to disclose details of commercial transactions.
Amphibious Warfare
Mr. Trotter : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to implement the Royal Navy's requirement for vessels to maintain its amphibian warfare capability.
Mr Neubert : The Government are committed to maintaining the Royal Navy amphibious capability in the longer term. To this end, we are currently examing the results of studies into replacing the capability offered by HMS Fearless and HMS Intrepid, either by extending their planned lives or by new build. A decision will be made in good time before these ships reach the end of their current useful lives. We are also evaluating the tenders we received earlier this year for the aviation support ship. We hope to be in a position to place an order during 1990. We will continue to maintain our force of landing ships logistic.
Crown Immunity
Mr Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many section 10 certificates have been issued since 1979 in respect of members of the services, excluding those who were nuclear test veterans.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My right hon. Friend's responsibilities are limited to issuing certificates, under section 10(3) of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947, confirming the duty status of a member of the armed forces on any particular occasion. It is not possible to provide full details of all section 10(3) certificates issued since 1979, as these have not been kept. However, our records show that 11 such certificates have been issued in the four years from 1986 to date ; of these, one related to a nuclear test veteran.
Pirbright Ranges
Mr. Onslow : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why it is proposed to extend the danger area at Pirbright ranges ; what land clearance has been undertaken in preparation ; whether the Nature Conservancy Council has been consulted ; why Pirbright parish council has not been notified of these proposals ; and if he will now take steps to ensure that local residents are fully informed.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : There are no plans to extend the danger area of the Pirbright ranges in the foreseeable future.
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Armed Forces (Fatalities)
Mr. Churchill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of Her Majesty's forces have been killed in each of the past five calendar years (a) as a result of terrorist action and (b) in other ways in the course of their duty ; and what would have been the cost to the Exchequer if those killed, in each category, had been guaranteed a mimimum payment to their next of kin by the Ministry of Defence equivalent to one year's salary.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to my hon. Friend.
Tanks
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence further to his answer to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central of 14 December, Official Report, column 822, if he will list the matters relating to tanks discussed between General Dynamics and his officials.
Mr. Alan Clark : The details of meetings between General Dynamics and my officials to discuss possible future orders for tanks for the British Army are commercially confidential.
Arts and Design
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what expenditure was made by his Department on (a) the arts and (b) design in the last financial year.
Mr. Neubert : I am not aware of any expenditure made by my Department on either the arts or design as such during the last financial year. To research the matter fully would incur disproportionate costs.
Reservists
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the steps being taken in his Department towards expanding the size and role of reservists in British military capability ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Since 1979 the Ministry of Defence has set in hand measures to increase all volunteer reserve services. The Royal Naval Reserve has 11 new fleet minesweepers and has increased the numbers of communications and medical staffs. The role of the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service has been expanded to include participation in the defence of ports and anchorages. Two new detachments of the Royal Marines Reserve have been formed to enhance and support 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines and to undertake home defence tasks. Measures affecting the TA have included the raising of six new TA infantry battalions, an air defence regiment and five batteries, and eight airfield damage repair units. The Home Service Force has been established and 43 companies have now been raised. Seven new auxiliary field squadrons of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force have been formed to defend airfields, together with an auxiliary air movements squadron and an auxiliary aeromedical evacuation squadron. Some additional small measures are also under consideration.
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Action continues to recruit volunteers for these services and to improve retention. Response from employers to the campaign to provide support for the Volunteer Reserves has been most encouraging.Home Defence
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the study of logistic sustainability of home defence being conducted by his Department.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The logistic requirements of our military home defence plans are reviewed periodically. Such a review is currently in progress, but it is not our practice to comment in detail on matters of this kind.
Garrison Stables (Berlin)
Mr. Marlow : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military personnel are employed in the garrison stables in Berlin ; how many horses are stabled there ; how many of these horses are owned by his Department ; and how many by private individuals.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The British garrison stables in Berlin have three horses owned by the Ministry of Defence, nine ponies and 10 horses of the saddle club and 10 horses at livery owned by private individuals. Four soldier grooms are employed there.
Sea Wolf
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans for further development of vertical launched Sea Wolf.
Mr. Neubert : Pre-feasibility studies have been completed and feasibility studies are expected to start shortly to examine the possibilities of updating all versions of the Sea Wolf point defence missile system.
FMC Company, USA
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department has had any discussions about defence contracts with or involving the FMC company of the United States of America.
Mr. Alan Clark : My Department has had some discussions with the FMC Company of the United States of America concerning the possible purchase of equipment for the MLRS programme. Our purchases, however, have been made through Prime Contractors, LTV and EPG.
The United Kingdom arm of the company, FMC Corporation UK, is on the defence contractors list. There is no record of any current contract with the company.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Race Relations
Mr. Thornton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide estimates showing for each financial year from 1987-88 to 1990-91 the amount of actual or planned expenditure on section 11 grant.
Mr. John Patten : The amount of grant paid, or estimated to be paid under section 11 of the Local
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Government Act 1966 for the years in question is set as follows. This represents the Home Office element (75 per cent.) of the total expenditure, the remainder being the local authority contribution.Financial |Grant year |£ million ------------------------------ 1987-88 |93 1988-89 |89 1989-90 |115 1990-91 |110
The figure for the current year includes anticipated payments in respect of earlier years.
Sports Grounds
Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to amend the Public Order Act, section 5, in the light of recent reports on crowd safety and control at sports grounds.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We have no plans to do so.
Security
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the powers that regulate and control (a) non-Home Office police in the public sector and (b) private security firms performing a policing role ; and if he will list all groups falling within category (a) .
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The main non-Home Office police forces in the public sector are the British Transport police, the Ministry of Defence police, the Royal Parks constabulary and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority constabulary ; statutory responsibility for these forces and for legislation or regulation governing them rests with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Transport, for Defence, for the Environment and for Energy.
There are also some small bodies of constables operating on private property which are established under private legislation, which are not directly answerable to a Minister, and on which information is not held centrally. We know of one case (at Parkeston quay) where members of a security force, sworn in as special constables under such legislation, were provided under contract to the harbour authority by a private security firm. The accountability of the members of such a force lies to the law and to the courts and to the statutory harbour authority.
Police officers in the main non-Home Office police forces and some of the smaller forces are required to comply with the provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the codes of practice within the area of their jurisdiction, by agreements made under section 96 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
The Government look to the private security industry to provide self- regulation. Considerable progress has been made by trade associations and regulatory bodies within the industry. We are currently considering, in the light of the report of a Home Office working group, whether there is scope for further improvement in self-regulation.
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Television Licence Fees
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions have been obtained concerning television licence fee evasion for each year of the past 10 years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : The following information has been supplied by the national television licence records office. Provision of details for earlier years would involve disproportionate cost.
Offenders found guilty of television licence fee evasion United Kingdom Financial |Number of year |convictions ------------------------------------ 1984-85 |110,042 1985-86 |123,122 1986-87 |174,509 1987-88 |158,182 1988-89 |172,604
The increase in recent years results from improvements in the detection rate.
People who find the licence fee hard to pay in one lump sum can now take advantage of the new budget payments scheme. This enables colour licence payers to obtain a licence on payment of the first of four quarterly direct debit instalments.
Prison Officers' Quarters
Mr. Wilshire : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers have been allocated a second quarter while still registered as having a quarter in each of the past five years.
Mr. Mellor : This information could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. However, I am aware of only two cases where a second quarter has been allocated to a prison officer before surrender of the original quarter with vacant possession.
Police Disciplinary Codes
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out the sections of police disciplinary codes that relate to giving misleading evidence in court.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Depending on the circumstances in which the offence takes place, such behaviour may fall within any one of a number of sections of the discipline code, including those relating to discreditable conduct (section 1), disobedience (section 3), falsehood or prevarication (section 5) or criminal conduct (section 16).
Game Licences
Mr. Onslow : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total net product of the sale of game licences in each of the past 10 years for which figures are available.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The face value of game licences sold in England and Wales since 1981 is given in the table. Information on previous years is not readily to hand.
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Year |£ ------------------------ 1981-82 |191,210 1982-83 |199,354 1983-84 |204,370 1984-85 |201,154 1985-86 |196,146 1986-87 |192,940 1987-88 |205,114 1988-89 |210,310
Birmingham Pub Bombings
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his answer of 14 December, Official Report, columns 785-86, if he will specify the offence and the sentence of the only IRA member on category B, apart from the men convicted of the Birmingham bombings.
Mr. Mellor : The prisoner was convicted on 12 counts of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment on each count. Concurrent sentences of 20 years and five years imprisonment, together with a consecutive sentence of 10 years imprisonment, were also imposed for three convictions for causing explosions likely to endanger life and property.
Irish Foreign Minister
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the Foreign Minister of Ireland ; what was discussed ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : My right hon. and learned Friend has not yet met the Irish Foreign Minister. My right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd) last met him as Home Secretary on 13 September 1989. They discussed matters of common concern to both Governments.
Immigration
Mr. Churchill : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total number of immigrants from New Commonwealth, or previously New Commonwealth countries (a) admitted for settlement in the United Kingdom or (b) admitted on such a basis as may eventually entitle them to United Kingdom citizenship with right of abode.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The number of persons from the new commonwealth and Pakistan accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom in the years 1980-88 is published in table 22 of the annual Home Office volume "Control of Immigration : Statistics, United Kingdom 1998" (Cm 726).
Under the British Nationality Act 1981 British dependent territory citizens, British nationals (overseas), British overseas citizens, British subjects and British protected persons who have been accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom, and fulfil the other conditions of section 4(2) of the Act are entitled to British citizenship. There is now no entitlement to citizenship for other adults, though those who have been accepted for settlement and fulfil the other relevant conditions of the Act may apply for citizenship by naturalisation, which is at the Home Secretary's discretion.
The numbers of British dependent territory citizens from Hong Kong (including British nationals (overseas))
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and of British overseas citizens, accepted for settlement in recent years is also shown in the aforementioned table 22. The numbers of acceptances for settlement of British dependent territory citizens other than from Hong Kong, of British subjects and of British protected persons are not separately identified in the settlement figures. However, information on grants of British citizenship in 1988 for most of these categories is shown in table 4 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin Issue 9/89 "Citizenship Statistics, United Kingdom 1988"Copies of both these publications are in the Library.
Gun Clubs
Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representation he has received concerning his proposals for the control of gun clubs ; and if he will ensure that his proposals do not prohibit the practice of day membership for visitors or novices.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We have received a number of representations from right hon. and hon. Members, shooting organisations, individual clubs, and members of the public. We shall give careful consideration to the practice of day membership in the light of these and the advice of the firearms consultative committee.
Police Officers (Housing Allowance)
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to alleviate the difficulties facing police officers who have moved or will move to other forces before 1 April 1990 who cannot sell their houses in the depressed housing market and who will lose personal protection under the proposed replacement of rent allowance by housing allowance ; if he will make it his policy to continue protection whilst present conditions persist ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : My right hon. and learned Friend has already made it clear that he does not wish to see any officer receiving less by way of allowance after 31 March 1990 than he or she was receiving by way of rent allowance on that date. He is not clear that more than this could be justified. He will, however, consider my hon. Friend's point before reaching any final decision.
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that police officers continue to be motivated to apply for senior positions in forces other than the one in which they are now serving, in view of the loss of personal protection known as red circling under the proposed replacement of rent allowance by housing allowance.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to be receiving shortly the recommendations of the Police negotiating board on rent allowance. In coming to his decisions he will bear in mind the need to ensure that senior police officers continue to be motivated to apply for senior positions.
Emergency Calls
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many firemen have been (a) killed, (b) seriously injured and (c) slightly injured in the past 10 years (i) in accidents while proceeding to an emergency call and (ii) while at the scene of an emergency call.
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Mr. John Patten : During 1979-1988 fire brigades in England and Wales reported firefighters killed and injured in the course of duty as follows :
Killed in the course of opera
|tional duty
|as a result of |as a result of |Injured at an
|firefighting or|a road ac- |incident caus
|a special ser- |cident |ing prolonged
|vice call |absence from
|duty
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |1 |2 |297
1980 |3 |1 |341
1981 |2 |0 |264
1982 |4 |2 |270
1983 |5 |0 |311
1984 |3 |0 |249
1985 |1 |4 |312
1986 |0 |1 |303
1987 |4 |3 |301
1988 |0 |0 |327
|----- |----- |-----
Totals |23 |13 |2,975
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been (a) killed, (b) seriously injured and (c) slightly injured in each of the past 10 years in (i) accidents while proceeding to an emergency call and (ii) the execution of their duty.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information is not available in the form requested. However, the following table sets out the number of deaths of police officers on duty during the years 1979 to 1988 inclusive, divided between homicides and other deaths, including accidental deaths.
|Homicides |Other deaths|Total
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |1 |9 |10
1980 |1 |4 |5
1981 |1 |9 |10
1982 |5 |10 |15
1983 |4 |12 |16
1984 |3 |12 |15
1985 |1 |6 |7
1986 |0 |9 |9
1987 |2 |9 |11
1988 |2 |1 |3
Details of the circumstances surrounding these deaths are not held centrally. It is therefore not possible to determine whether deaths occurred in response to an emergency call, or, in the case of deaths not due to homicide whether death was accidental or due to negligence on the part of a person involved in the incident. Details of officers injured on duty are not held centrally.
Elections (Candidates' Expenses)
Sir Hal Miller : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress on the proposed review of the system of controls on candidates' expenses at elections, announced on 21 June, Official Report, columns 131-33.
Mr. Waddington : I have placed in the Library copies of a consultation paper on candidates' election expenses, which the Home Departments are issuing today to representatives of the main political parties and local authorities. The paper briefly sets out the main issues which arise and indicates possible ways forward. Views are invited from any interested individuals or organisations,
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and copies of the consultation paper can be obtained free of charge from D Division, room 739, Home Office, Queen Anne's gate, London SW1H 9AT ; or Division IIA, room 227B, Scottish Home and Health Department, St. Andrew's house, Edinburgh EH1 3DE ; or CPL Division, Northern Ireland Office, Whitehall, London SW1A 2AZ.Radio Authority
Mr. Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to establish the Radio Authority.
Mr. Waddington : I am setting up the Radio Authority in shadow form on 1 January 1990. The appointment of Lord Chalfont as chairman has already been announced. I have today appointed the following to become members on 1 January :
Mr. John Grant
Mr. Richard Hooper
Mrs. Jill McIvor
Mr. Ranjit Sondhi
One further appointment will be made in due course. Subject to parliamentary approval of the Broadcasting Bill, I intend to establish the authority with its full statutory powers on 1 January 1991.
Independent Television Commission
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to establish the Independent Television Commission.
Mr. Waddington : I am setting up the Independent Television Commission (ITC) in shadow form on 1 January 1990. The appointments of Mr. George Russell as chairman and Lord Chalfont as a member have already been announced. I have today appointed Lady Popplewell and Professor James Ring to become members on 1 January. Further appointments will be made in due course. Subject to parliamentary approval of the Broadcasting Bill, I intend to establish the ITC with its full statutory powers on 1 January 1991.
Visas (Indian Sub-Continent)
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the refusal rate for queues 1, 2, 3 and 4 at each British post on the Indian sub-continent in 1989 ; and what were the comparable figures for 1988, 1987 and 1986.
Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 18 December 1989] : The information requested is not available centrally.
Perjury
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of people convicted of the offence of perjury in 1986, 1987, 1988 and in 1989 ; and what is the average length of the sentences.
Mr. John Patten [holding answer 19 December 1989] : The information requested is given in the table. Data for 1989 are not yet available.
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Offenders convicted of perjury and average
sentence lengths
England and Wales
|1986|1987|1988
---------------------------------------------
Convictions |124 |167 |205
Numbers sentenced to
immediate custody |61 |52 |77
Average sentence lengths
(months) |9 |11 |8
Diplomatic Bags
Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what discussions he has had with his counterparts in other European Community countries to ensure that diplomatic bags are subject to non-intrusive searches ;
(2) what plans he has to require the non-intrusive searching of diplomatic bags entering and leaving the United Kingdom.
Mr. Sainsbury : I have been asked to reply.
None.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Accountancy Firms
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether accountancy firms who enjoy a monopoly of the external audit function are required to publish their financial statements.
Mr. Redwood : Under section 389(6) (c) of the Companies Act 1985, a body corporate is not qualified for appointment as auditor of a company. Accountancy practices which undertake statutory audit of companies are established as sole traders or partnerships and, as such, are not required to publish accounts. The Companies Act 1989 removes the prohibition on the appointment of a body corporate as auditors and, once section 25 of the Act is brought into force, it will be open to accountants conducting statutory audits to incorporate if they so wish, in which case they will be subject to the statutory duties and responsibilities of companies.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will provide a list of the auditing firms which his Department has criticised since June 1979 that have been allowed to make auditing policy through their membership of the auditing practices committee and its working parties ;
(2) whether any Arthur Andersen personnel have representatives on the accounting standards committee or its working parties, and on the auditing practices committee ;
(3) whether since 1979 any individuals appointed to the auditing practices committee and its working parties have come from (a) firms criticised by his Department's inspectors and (b) firms sued for negligence by the Government.
Mr. Redwood : As I explained in the replies I gave on 27 November at columns 92-93, on 13 December at column 702 and on 18 December at column 22 to questions by the hon. Member, membership of the Accounting Standards Committee and the Auditing Practices Committee is a matter for the Consultative Committee of Accountancy
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